Good morning, thank you for joining us for Start:Stop. My name is Phillip Dawson. Reverend Stephen will be back next week. This month we are exploring the themes in the method of prayer known by the acronym ACTS. Today we are thinking about thanksgiving. This reflection will last approximately ten minutes. We begin with a bible reading, which can be found at the top of page 86 in the New Testament section of the Bible.
Breathing, bruised, betrayed. Now bowing. Living Word; Sacred Heart. Each sense enlivened! O taste and see the colour, joy & infinite possibility. Draw near. Reach out; feel. A body which kneeled, ached, laughed, gasped, hungered, shivered and bled like mine.
Given.
Freely offered, unlocked, unchained.
For us to receive and discover.
A sacrifice. Forgiven.
The present of presence.
For you.
All; a multitude in One, called by name; each jarring atom, every peculiar heart loved. Saved by a still, small voice. The Mystery alive.
This is my body given for you.
I wrote these words after attending a service of Benediction tonight at St George’s Bloomsbury, which took place after the Eucharist on the Feast of Corpus Christi. The celebrant was Fr David Peebles and the preacher was Fr David Cherry.
As well as being the first service of Benediction that I remember attending, I found out afterwards that this was the first time this liturgy had taken place at the church for many years; so in many ways a first for everyone.
Fr David Cherry used his sermon to suggest ways in which we might engage with the liturgy - especially helpful for those of us, like me, participating for the first time. He suggested that rather than seeking to intellectualise or explain what is happening during Benediction, we should focus on the present moment and the presence of Christ. Perhaps in writing down my thoughts - no matter how incoherent - I am doing precisely what Fr David asked us not to do?!
It was a very physical service and we used our whole bodies at different times, to kneel and bow during the exposition, when the consecrated Host was placed in a monstrance on the altar. There were certainly no “stiff necked” people in the church tonight! We all followed the clergy in procession around the church, blessing all those within and without the building with the sacrament and remembering the path that Jesus trod for us.
This was a very special service and I am grateful to all who were involved in organising it.
Today’s Gospel reading (Mark 9.38-40) highlights the difficulties we face in trying to live up to The Great Commandment - to love God and to love our neighbour. It shows us that suspicion and judgement of others - even those of the same faith or religion - is nothing new - and even plagued the disciples; those closest to Jesus. The passage reminds us that setting aside our fear of ‘otherness’ is crucial if we are to live a life in Christ.
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop.
My name is Phillip Dawson. Reverend Stephen is away today, he returns next week. This reflection will last ten minutes. The readings and prayer responses can be found on the leaflet on the table, please do take a copy.
Well….who isn’t talking about “that” sermon?Bishop Michael Curry’s words at the Royal Wedding on Saturday certainly set the media on fire this weekend! This morning we’ll be reflecting more about the transformative power of God’s love using the imagery of fire, with the help of the Venerable Bede, whose feast day the church celebrates on Friday – and brothers John and Charles Wesley, who are remembered on Thursday.
First, a reading from scripture, which you can find on page 70 in the Old Testament section of the church bibles. This passage describes the moment before Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, fifty days after Passover.
The principal service at St Stephen Walbrook is our Thursday lunchtime Eucharist. Our intercessions are usually “secret”, with prayers read by the clergy according to the order of the Book of Common Prayer. Today, Reverend Stephen asked me to write and read intercessions incorporating some of the prayers that were submitted during our Day of Prayer yesterday, held as part of the Thy Kingdom Come week of prayer:
The Parish of St Stephen Walbrook & The London Internet Church
Day of Prayer - Wednesday 16th May 2018 from 7am – 9pm Prayer moves us closer not only to God, but to one another.Drop in when you can during our Day of Prayer to take a moment to give thanks, to remember and to reflect.
Today is my last day as Churchwarden of the parish of Christ Church Southgate. It has been a wonderful experience! My time as warden has seen two different Diocesan Bishops, three Suffragan Bishops, two Archdeacons and two parish priests and now it’s time for me to move on!
Whether we are here for the first time or more regularly, whether we are laity or clergy and whatever our faith, we are part of a community of the past, present and future, all drawn to this place as visitors.
This is the transcript of my 30 minute talk on the “contemplative tradition” of Thomas Merton, delivered as part of a course at the London Centre for Spiritual Direction. My talk followed one given by another student, who spoke about Eckhart von Hochheim OP, commonly known as Meister Eckhart.
Tonight was the second “Music in Worship” evening at St Sepulchres, this time focussing exclusively on choral music. The evening was presented by Peter Asprey, the Director of Music.
This is my reflection for the Churches Together in Southgate, Oakwood and Cockfosters Good Friday Walk of Witness. Each church in the partnership reads a passage from scripture, then gives a short reflection and leads prayers based on the passage during the service which takes place after the walk. Due to one church being in an interregnum and not able to offer anyone else to give a reflection, as Lay Chair of the Ecumenical Partnership this year, I gave the following reflection - my first experience of doing something like this. Thank you to Sandra Anderson for reading the bible passage and prayer, to save my voice – still recovering from the 'flu!
